Device for controlling the stroke and the travelling speed of at least one of the moving parts of a machine-tool

ABSTRACT

A device for controlling the travel and travelling speed of one of the moving components of a machine-tool. It envisions a displaceable shuttle driven in synchronization with the rotation of the machine spindle and movable longitudinally relative to the machine, and an element having an operating inclined cam face and being adjustably mounted longitudinally and angularly of the shuttle for movement according to shuttle movement, and a finger operatively connected to the moving component of the machine-tool for the driving thereof and being actuated upon contact with the inclined cam face of the element, with the speed of displacement of the finger determining the travelling speed of the moving component and the stroke of the finger determining the stroke of the moving component and with the start of the travel of the moving component and the speed and stroke thereof being determined by the position of the said element and the slope of its cam face and the height of its cam face respectively.

Enited States Patent [19] Matthey et al.

[ DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE STROKE AND THE TRAVELLING SPEED DE AT LEAST ONE OF THE MOVING PARTS OF A MACHINE-TOOL [75] Inventors: Maurice Matthey, Versoix, Geneva;'

Heinrich Imgrund, Carouge, Geneva, both of Switzerland [73] Assignee: Manutar S.A., Fribourg, Switzerland [22] Filed: Nov. 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 202,151

[52] US. Cl. 74/110, 29/65 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6h 21/44 [58] Field of Search 29/65; 74/110, 568

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,020,776 2/1962 May et al 74/110 855,773 6/1907 Hanson 74/568 1,486,348 3/1924 Kinder 74/568 2,276,630 3/1942 Sheppard. 74/568 3,543,903 12/1970 Lodge 74/110 3,612,619 10/1971 Hayes 74/110 2,491,381 12/1949 Lange 29/65 2,386,014 10/1945 Takac, Jr.. 29/65 2,274,230 2/1942 Bechler 29/65 11 3,733,134 June 12, 1973 971,886 l0/l9l0 Hanson ..29/65 Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr. Attorney-Kenwood Ross and Chester E. Flavin [57] ABSTRACT A device for controlling the travel and travelling speed of one of the moving components of a machine-tool. It envisions a displaceable shuttle driven in synchronization with the rotation of the machine spindle and movable longitudinally relative to the machine, and an element having an operating inclined cam face and being adjustably mounted longitudinally and angularly of the shuttle for movement according to shuttle movement, and a finger operatively connected to the moving component of the machine-tool for the driving thereof and being actuated upon contact with the inclined cam face of the element, with the speed of displacement of the finger determining the travelling speed of the moving component and the stroke of the finger determining the stroke of the moving component and with the start of the travel of the moving component and the speed and stroke thereof being determined by the position of the said element and the slope of its cam face and the height of its cam face respectively.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Pmmmaum 2101s I SHEEP). 2

FIG. 3

I DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE STROKE AND THE TRAVELLING SPEED DE AT LEAST ONE OF THE MOVING PARTS OFA MACHINE-TOOL The present invention concerns a device for controlling the stroke and the travelling speed of at least one of the moving parts of a machine-tool.

This controlling device is characterized by the fact that it comprises a shuttle carrying at least one element provided with an inclined plane. The displacements of the said shuttle are a function of the speed of rotation of the machine spindle. The said element is mounted on the shuttle in an adjustable position. The inclined plane of the said element operates a finger which drives said moving part of the machine so that the speed of displacement of this finger determines the travelling speed of the moving part and the stroke of the finger determines the stroke of said part. The start of the travel of this part, its speed and its stroke are thus determined by the position of the said element with resepct to the slope and the height of its inclined plane.

The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a turretlathe.

FIG. 2 is a view of a detail of this lathe, on an enlarged scale, and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a detail, also on an enlarged scale.

. The lathe comprises a frame structure 1 carrying a headstock 2 carrying a rotating spindle of which only the nose 3 has been represented and a longitudinal carriage 4, a transversal carriage 5 and a carriage 6 carrying the revolving-turret 7.

The travels and the travelling speeds of these different carriages are determined by a set of elements 8 each provided with an inclined plane, all set up on a shuttle 9 which moves longitudinally along frame 1 of the machine. The shuttle is driven, in its moves, by a guide-screw 10, the rotation of which is synchronized with that of the spindle. The shuttle is guided by a longitudinal rod 11, on which it is slidingly mounted, and by a ruler 12, onto which fits a U-shaped part 9a of the shuttle 9.

The elements 8 move, with the longitudinal displacements of the shuttle 9, opposite a set of fingers 13 with which they cooperate. Each of these fingers drives, through the medium of a connecting mechanism schematically represented by 14, one of the carriages of the machine.

The longitudinal position of the elements 8 and the slope of their inclined planes can be adjusted on the shuttle 9; these elements are distributed on this shuttle in several lines, each of them corresponding to one finger 13. One particular line can carry several elements, some even overlapping each other,-as in the case of the first line of the present example.

It should be noted that the inclined planes of the elements 8 need not necessarily be rectilinear, as in the present example, but can have any appropriate shape, then working as templates.

It results from this arrangement that the planning of the carriage moves is determined by the longitudinal position of the corresponding elements 8 on the shuttle 9, and that their travelling speed is determined by the slope of the inclined planes and their stroke by the height of said planes.

The shuttle 9 is arranged so that it can also carry a set of lugs 15 acting on a battery of micro-switches 16 for controlling, in synchronism with the moving of the carriages, auxiliary functions of the machine.

It must be noted that the carrying shuttle 9 can be disconnected from the guide-screw 10 for allowing its quick come-back, said come-back being produced by a counterweight l7 sliding on a slide 18 which is attached to the shuttle 9 by a cable 19. For this purpose, the linking of the shuttle 9 with the guide-screw 10 is ensured by a shoe 20 having a threaded recess meshing with the guide-screw. This shoe 20 is articulated at 21 on the shuttle 9 and is subjected to the action of a return spring 22 which urges it against the guide-screw 10. A fixed stop 23 carried by the shuttle 9 limits the stroke of shoe 20 by means of arm 20a.

In order to allow releasing of the shoe 20 from the guide-screw 10, the guiding rod 11 of the shuttle 9 is mounted in such a way that it can carry out a translation move in a direction parallel to itself following the arrow 24 (FIG. 2). Its translative moves are produced by two knuckle-joints 25 driven by the longitudinal displacements of a double shaft 26-27 driven by a con necting rod 28. Thus, when the guiding-shaft 11 is brought in its lower position, the U-shaped portion of the shuttle engaging deeper on the ruler 12, the shoe 20 disengages from guide-screw 10, that allows the quick return of the shuttle. Accordingly, the elements 8 also occupy a lower or eclipsed position so that they do not act on the fingers 13 when the shuttle comes back in place; in addition then, the lugs 15 do not act any more on the micro-switches 16.

The connection between each finger l3 and the element it controls is represented in detail on FIG. 3. The finger 13 operates, through the medium of the connecting mechanism 14, a control valve 29, which distributes a pressurized fluid into one or the other of the two rooms, respectively 30 and 31, of a pilot cylinder which is a part of one of the carriages, for instance carriage 6, which accomodates a fixed piston 32. Hence, the fingers 13 do not operate directly the machine carriages, but provide the information necessary for having an external energy source moving them. It should be further noticed that the pilot cylinder comprising rooms 30 and 31 could be made independent from carriage 6, instead of being dependent as in the example represented, and constitute a driving organ connected to the carriage by appropriate means.

It should also be noticed that the strokes of the moving parts of the machine, that is the carriages, are a function not only of the height of the inclined planes of the elements 8, but also of the driving transmission ratios of the hydro-mechanical mechanisms 14 connecting these elements to the carriages, said ratios being adjustable.

If the driving of the shuttle is derived directly from the rotating motion of the spindle, which condition is not compulsory, the arrangement shall be such that the direction of rotation of the spindle can be reversed, e.g. for tapping purposes, without having the direction of the translation motion of the shuttle be modified.

The present arrangement constitutes a simple means, easy to carry out and inexpensive, for controlling the displacements of the moving parts of a machine.

It permits having a materially comparative and spatial view of the machining program (sequence of steps) constituted by the position of the elements 8 and lugs 15.

It also permits having a great versatility in the programming provided by the position of the elements 8 and the lugs on the shuttle 9. The selection of the slope of the inclined planes of the elements 8, the longitudinal position thereof and the height of the inclined planes replace the classical cams with the necessity of developing, manufacturing and adjusting them, the plug-in connection panels, the stops or lugs or also the punched tapes. Programming can be done either in the office or in the shop. Spare shuttles 9 provided with elements 8 and lugs can be stored and thus kept ready for use.

It should be noticed that the end of a program does not necessarily coincide with the maximum travel of the shuttle, the latter being able, at any time, to come back in place, which prevents superfluous travelling.

Accordingly, this permits starting or stopping an operational sequence at any stage by simply disengaging the shuttles 9.

We claim:

1. A program device for controlling the initiation of travel and travelling speed and stroke of a moving component of a machine-tool having a rotating spindle, comprising in combination:

a displaceable shuttle driven in synchronization with the rotation of the spindle and movable rectilinearly relative to the machine-tool,

an element having an operating inclined cam face and being adjustably mounted longitudinally and angularly of the shuttle for movement according to longitudinal movement of the shuttle,

a finger operatively connected to the moving component of the machine-tool for the driving thereof and being actuated upon following contact therewith by the inclined cam face of the element,

with the start of the travel of the finger and the speed of displacement thereof and the stroke thereof as determined by the positioning of the element and the slope of its cam face and the height of its cam face respectively being controlled as functions of the time of movement of and travelling speed of and stroke of the moving component respectively.

2. In the program device as claimed in claim 1, including means for allowing the element to pass the finger without operating it during the shuttle back travel.

3. In the program device as claimed in claim 2, including a longitudinally extending rod on which the shuttle is slidingly mounted and a roller on which the shuttle is fitted for the guidance thereof and for allowing the assumption by the element of a non-finger contacting position during shuttle back travel.

4. In the program device as claimed in claim 1, including a lug adjustably attached to the shuttle, and a microswitch activated by the lug upon shuttle movement for controlling an auxiliary machine function in synchronization with the movement of the moving component.

5. In the program device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the mechanism connecting the finger and the moving part controlled by the finger is a hydraulic connecting mechanism for amplifying the force applied to the moving part.

6. In the program device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the arrangement of the shuttle for accommodating a set of the elements for operating upon a set of the fingers operatively connected to a plurality of moving components, with each of the fingers being connected to a moving part of the machine so that the positions of the elements and the slopes and heights of their respective cam faces determine the start of the travel of the respective moving parts and their travelling speeds and their strokes.

Q22 3? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,738,184 Dated June 12; 1973 lnv ntoris) Maurice Matthey and Heinrich Itngrund It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and-that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I In the heading, insert below line 12, 7 identified as [Zl 7 Appl.No. 202,151

-- 30 7 V Foreign Application Priority Data ;Dec 3 1970 Switzerland.....l7916/70 Signed ahd sealed this 5th day of March 1974,

' (sh L) Attest: I I

'7 EDWARD M.FLET CHER,JR, MARSHALL DANN st iQ- I mmissioner of Patent 

1. A program device for controlling the initiation of travel and travelling speed and stroke of a moving component of a machinetool having a rotating spindle, comprising in combination: a displaceable shuttle driven in synchronization with the rotation of the spindle and movable rectilinearly relative to the machine-tool, an element having an operating inclined cam face and being adjustably mounted longitudinally and angularly of the shuttle for movement according to longitudinal movement of the shuttle, a finger operatively connected to the moving component of the machine-tool for the driving thereof and being actuated upon following contact therewith by the inclined cam face of the element, with the start of the travel of the finger and the speed of displacement thereof and the stroke thereof as determined by the positioning of the element and the slope of its cam face and the height of its cam face respectively being controlled as functions of the time of movement of and travelling speed of and stroke of the moving component respectively.
 2. In the program device as claimed in claim 1, including means for allowing the element to pass the finger without operating it during the shuttle back travel.
 3. In the program device as claimed in claim 2, including a longitudinally extending rod on which the shuttle is slidingly mounted and a roller on which the shuttle is fitted for the guidance thereof and for allowing the assumption by the element of a non-finger contacting position during shuttle back travel.
 4. In the program device as claimed in claim 1, including a lug adjustably attached to the shuttle, and a microswitch activated by the lug upon shuttle movement for controlling an auxiliary machine function in synchronization with the movement of the moving component.
 5. In the program device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the mechanism connecting the finger and the moving part controlled by the finger is a hydraulic connecting mechanism for amplifying the force applied to the moving part.
 6. In the program device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the arrangement of the shuttle for accommodating a set of the elements for operating upon a set of the fingers operatively connected to a plurality of moving components, with each of the fingers being connected to a moving part of the machine so that the positions of the elements and the slopes and heights of their respective cam faces determine the start of the travel of the respective moving parts and their travelling speeds and their strokes. 